


Since Forever

by alwaysastorm



Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: Formula One, M/M, Male Slash, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-29
Updated: 2013-08-29
Packaged: 2017-12-25 01:17:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/946911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alwaysastorm/pseuds/alwaysastorm
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written in May 2012 for Motorskink.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>  <i>Set both in May 2012 and throughout the 2006 season.</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Since Forever

_They were laughing together like two schoolboys. Rob coughed, his chest wheezy from a bout of giggles. He couldn't even remember what had set them off, but every time Felipe made to speak, his face crinkled up and he corpsed. Rob liked this lad. Here they were at Mugello together, two relative newcomers to the team. Both young, both still learning, both eager and happy to be at Ferrari. And both blessed with a mischevious sense of humour that was rapidly making them become good friends. Yesterday, it had been salt in Rob's tea; today it was washing up liquid in Felipe's racing boots. Tomorrow – who knew. But Rob was looking forward to it._

_"Enough!" Rob finally exclaimed, pointing towards the F2004. "Jean's going to bloody kill us if we keep messing about like this. Into the car, mate. C'mon, off you go. Mugello's not going to lap itself."_

_Felipe picked up his helmet from where it was sitting on the shelf, pulling it on carefully before another member of the team helped him to adjust the straps. As he eased himself down inside the car, Rob heard a muffled cackle coming from underneath the visor, and he started to splutter with barely suppressed laughter._

_He loved his job._

*** 

_**May 2006** _

"Here's the bottom line. Gabriele is not going to be Felipe's race engineer anymore." 

"Okay," Rob nodded, finally realising why he'd been called into Todt's office. 

"We'd like you to take over. If you say no, we understand - you can carry on in the test team as normal. If yes, you would need to leave for Nurburgring in a few days." 

Rob exhaled, tilting his head to one side as he thought. 

"I'd need to talk it over with my wife. But I like the technical aspect of the testing team, Jean. I'm very happy there." 

Jean nodded. 

"Of course, I understand." His face softened. "But just so you are aware, Felipe has requested you personally." 

*** 

_**Friday, 2006 European Grand Prix** _

"I guess we will just play this weekend by ear." 

"Play it by ear?" Felipe raised an eyebrow, and Rob suppressed a grin. Felipe's English was only marginally better than it had been when they'd first met at Maranello three years previously. He was just a kid, really. Still. 

"Y'know – like, see how we get along as we go. Now, practice... Hey, stop staring out the window. Concentrate!" Rob lifted up his clipboard, handing a page of telemetry to Felipe as they sat alongside one another at the table in the motorhome. Patiently, he showed Felipe where he was doing well; where he could improve; where the most time was being lost. 

"Where's Michael making up the time?" Felipe asked, his brow furrowed as he looked down at the page. 

Rob slammed the folder shut and sat back against the leather sofa. 

"No. Don't think about Michael. Think about you, what _you're_ doing. Focus on that, not him. The rest will fall into place." 

Felipe scrunched his face up, rolling up the sleeves of his nomex top. 

"Okay. It's just, he's going faster than me, and..." 

"Felipe, YOU are fast too. And you can do it. You just need to get a bit of self belief." 

Rob's tone softened at the hangdog look on the young driver's face. 

"Gabriele never told you that, did he?" 

"No," came the quiet reply. 

Rob took a gulp of tea from his mug. 

"Think of it like when we were both at the test team. We try different things each lap, we see what works and what doesn't. We take a few little risks, see what happens. And then, then Felipe, we go out and show them all what you can do in quali. Okay?" 

Felipe's face broke into a grin, the first one Rob had seen all day. 

"For sure!" 

*** 

_**Sunday, 2006 French Grand Prix** _

The win was coming, Rob could just feel it. That first podium for Felipe at the Nurburgring had been something that neither of them had really expected. But something had just _clicked_. They'd always gotten along well when they'd been testing together, but something about adding competition to their partnership had created a spark, some magic. _'The kid is good'_ , Rob thought as he walked throughout the paddock of Magny-Cours, then inwardly corrected himself. _'He's not a kid anymore, though. Not really.'_ Felipe seemed to be getting taller, older, with every good result or podium. And as for quali, – well, more than once Rob had shaken his head with sheer pleasure and perhaps even a little bit of shock as his driver's qualifying had gotten better and better. He strode down towards the Ferrari motorhome, ever-present clipboard tucked under his arm, and found himself adopting a certain swagger as a few people turned to look at him. _'Me? Oh I'm just Felipe Massa's race engineer. You know, the one that's going to win a race any day now.'_ He snorted to himself as he jumped up the motorhome steps. _'Smedley, you're a berk.'_

Felipe was already in the motorhome, freshly showered after the race in which he'd finished third. Another Grand Prix, another podium. He was leaning against the table, glugging down a bottle of water. He reached up to take a final sip, his t-shirt riding up his body as he did so. Rob glanced down, seeing the dark, lightly haired skin of Felipe's taut stomach. His eyes followed the path of Felipe's body; from the sinewy arms, to the full bottom lip that was having droplets of water licked off it by a pink tongue, and finally to the liquid brown eyes that lit up as Felipe turned to look at him. Rob had a sudden desire to hug the young Brazilian, grip him tightly and tell him how fucking brilliant it felt to be slowly but surely unlocking all that massive potential. 

He stuck out a hand. 

"Nice one, mate." 

Felipe set down his water bottle, made to take Rob's hand to shake it, but instead grabbed him in a hug. Rob gripped Felipe's shoulder tightly with one hand, giving it a squeeze. Their cheeks pressed together momentarily before Felipe pulled away, his face one of pure delight. 

"I'm going to win one this year, aren't I Rob?" 

"You are, mate. You are." 

"When I do – will you come up onto the podium with me?" 

*** 

_**Sunday, 2006 Hungarian GP** _

Rob could tell from the clenched jaw that Felipe wasn't happy. As they walked through the back of the garage at the end of the race, Felipe angrily wriggled his arms out of his overalls, tying the sleeves around his waist and tugging at the neck of his nomex top irritably. It was still raining, but the heat seemed to radiate off his body, and Rob could smell his sweat. He closed his eyes briefly, giving his head a shake as he tried to discard whatever that lurch in the pit of his belly had just been. He breathed in through his nose, smelling it again. He put his hand onto the small of Felipe's back as he guided him across the paddock to the motorhome. Even with a layer of nomex between his hand and Felipe's skin, Rob could feel the hotness coming from the driver's body; the fireproofs slightly damp from his sweat. 

In the motorhome, Rob sat down as Felipe pulled his top off, throwing it down onto the floor. Rob winced at the untidiness, and retrieved it. It felt wet in his hands, and he set it down onto the sofa, feeling almost frightened to touch it properly. _'Get a hold of yourself, man. You've caught a stomach bug or food poisoning or something.There's got to be some reason why you feel so bloody strange.'_

"Felipe... " 

"Seventh?!" 

Rob couldn't help but smile. 

"Pretty natural to feel pissed off with seventh place, Felipe. Doesn't that tell you about how well you've been doing recently?" 

"I know. But... " 

"You've been spoilt with all these podiums lately, is all." Rob allowed himself to let out a laugh, seeing Felipe's face softening; his jaw becoming unclenched as he kicked off his boots. 

"The tyres just weren't right today. I couldn't... " 

Rob stood up. 

"Get a drink and we'll go over this in debrief with the rest of the guys. Look, it was a weird race all round today. It won't be the last strange race we do, or the last wet one. Anything can happen in the rain, after all." 

He slapped Felipe's arm lightly. 

"We'll get one over on the Hungaroring one day, okay?" 

Felipe nodded. He paused, looked up into Rob's face. 

"What?" 

"Nothing," Felipe said. "It's just... your hair's getting long. Can't see your eyes." 

He reached up, and with one finger, swept Rob's long fringe to one side of his face. 

Felipe smiled. "That's better." 

*** 

_**Sunday, 2006 Turkish GP** _

Rob hung back in parc ferme as Felipe stood on top of the car, arms aloft, yelling into the camera. He couldn't believe how good this felt - this wonderful, longed-for victory. Fucking hell, Felipe deserved it. He stood there, smiling in the background, letting the kid have his big moment of glory. 

Rob couldn't remember finally approaching his driver, but in an instant he was spinning Felipe around, the two of them a blur of scarlet as they clung onto one another. A hand was slapping Rob's back eagerly as their bodies and faces were pressed close, close enough to... and then suddenly Felipe's fingers were grabbing Rob's hair, pulling his face back so they could look at one another before Rob quickly ran his lips along Felipe's cheek, his hand gripping onto the overalls at the small of Felipe's back. 

They broke apart, looking at one another, breathless and happy and excited and shocked and oh fuck, _excited_. 

*** 

Rob had never been one for champagne, but my God he had filled up on it today. His body and chest and heart felt full of... _something_ , and he was pretty sure that if he kept on drinking he'd either forget about it or figure out what the emotions bubbling inside him were. Or, at the very least, it'd get him plastered enough to admit them to himself. Most of the mechanics had gone to a club in Istanbul, or to the hotel bar, but the core members of the team were boozing in Ferrari hospitality in the paddock, more bottles of champagne and Peroni being opened as the light outside got dimmer. 

_'Air'_ , Rob said to himself, a hand on the doorframe to steady himself as he stepped outside. 

"You're not going, are you?" 

Rob turned to see Felipe leaning in the doorway, waving a bottle of champagne from side to side. 

"We haven't had a chance to celebrate yet." 

"Felipe, we've been celebrating all evening!" 

"I meant together." 

Felipe took a swig and followed Rob outside into the almost deserted paddock. The crew were in the middle of packing up but had stopped while they took advantage of the remnants of the Ferrari catering. 

"Want some?" 

"Yeah, okay." 

Felipe took a bigger mouthful, approaching Rob with that devillish smile that the older man had seen far too many times before. 

"Fuck. Off." 

Rob dived to one side as Felipe spat a gulpful of champagne at him, then held his arms out to protect himself as he walked backwards down one side of the imposing motorhome. 

"Aw, shit!" 

A pile of Bridgestones blocked his path. Rob shrugged and leant back against them, resigning himself to his fate. 

"You want?" Felipe said hoarsely. 

Rob licked his lips and relaxed his body against the tyres. He gestured to Felipe with a nod. 

"Go on then." 

Felipe approached slowly, slowly, taking sips from the bottle as he did so. Rob felt his heart start to thud-thud-thud in his chest, the beer and champagne and heat making his head spin and his brain race with too, too many thoughts. And then Felipe was facing him, mouth slightly open as he waited for Rob to open his also. Rob's lips parted and he gave a slight sigh as Felipe pushed his mouth softly against his, transferring the champagne from one mouth to another. Rob swallowed, finding Felipe's lips still lightly touching his as he did so. He shifted his weight against the tyres so Felipe could lean against him as they kissed. Rob put a hand behind Felipe's head; his fingers running through the smaller man's dark hair as their tongues mingled and their teeth clashed with the haste and depth of their kiss. It was Felipe who broke away first, his lips full and red in the dusk. 

"I'm not, you know... " 

"No, no," Rob shook his head as he grabbed Felipe's t-shirt, pulling him close once more. "Me neither." 

All Rob could hear was his own heavy breathing and the hot, wet noise of their mouths entwining as their kiss grew more intense. _'The crew could be back any minute'_ he thought. _'This feels too fucking good to stop'_ the other voice in his head said. He raised his knee a little, allowing Felipe to put a leg either side of his. The driver's body felt lithe and warm and strong against Rob's, and he heard Felipe give a small 'Oh' as he began to rub himself against Rob's thigh; the grinding becoming more rapid as denim brushed against denim. Felipe's hands were gripping his shoulders like a vice, but suddenly the hand on the left moved downward, slipping its way delicately under the waistband of Rob's jeans. He gulped, closed his eyes and concentrated on the warm fingers wrapping themselves around his dick. He could feel Felipe's own hardness against his thigh, and the thought of it, combined with the heat, the sense of danger, and the sheer _newness_ of a man's hand encasing his cock, made him quickly come in short bursts. He allowed Felipe's hand to escape from inside his trousers, and then placed a hand on either side of the Brazilian's hips, helping Felipe to rut against his thigh. They panted and Rob gave a sort of disbelieving half-laugh as he arched his hips to meet Felipe's movements. 

"Rob, I'm going... " A soft moan escaped from Felipe's lips rather than the end of the sentence as his body fell against Rob's, spent and sweating. 

*** 

"I need to be reassured of my position in the team if Felipe isn't racing next year," Rob said, the sweat prickling at the back of his neck and under his arms as he sat facing Jean once more. "If Kimi is coming to the team to partner Michael, I'd like to know where that would leave me." 

Jean glanced up at the framed photographs of Michael that hung on his office wall. 

"Of course. The situation is rather delicate right now but I can reassure you that your position on the pitwall would be completely safe. We've been very impressed with your work with Felipe. We see you as a valuable member of the race team." 

_'That wasn't what I meant,'_ Rob thought. 

"So if Felipe's not a driver next season, neither he nor I would go back to the test team?" 

Jean raised an eyebrow. 

"That would be a step down for both of you, no?" 

Rob left the office, a feeling of nausea lying heavy in the pit of his stomach. As he walked down the corridor of Maranello, he had to stop dead in his tracks so he could lean against the wall. He breathed in and out, his heart racing, and a fluttery, panicky feeling building up inside him. 

"Are you okay?" Chris Dyer approached, and put a hand on his back as Rob bent over, trying to regulate his breathing. 

"Fine, fine. Just... must have eaten something dodgy last night. Go on, I'll be alright in a second." 

*** 

It was difficult, trying to work together when what had happened hung over them, never mentioned. During meetings and de-briefings, Rob felt suffocated, sitting there beside Felipe, wanting to say something but not really sure what. _'I could tell him I don't regret it. But what if he regrets it? Would he be upset or pleased if I said I was just pissed? What if he wanted more... what would I tell him? No, he doesn't want more. It happened and it's over.'_ The thoughts went over and over, and round in circles in Rob's head until he didn't know what he thought himself, let alone Felipe. The team was in a confused, sad, fucked up state as it was over Michael's pending retirement, not to mention the heartbreak of Japan. He sat down with Felipe in the paddock that evening in Suzuka. 

"I could have tried harder to win?" 

Rob shook his head vehemently. 

"Nothing to do with it, mate. The engine went, doesn't matter what the race result was." 

Felipe sighed and fidgeted with his bottle of water as they sat opposite one another in hospitality. 

"I should have done a better race." 

Rob took the bottle from Felipe and placed a hand gently over the top of his. 

"You were fucking great this weekend, Felipe. Pole and second place. They couldn't ask for more from you. _I_ couldn't ask for more." 

He found himself continuing to talk, his voice gruff and muted, so the surrounding sponsors and team members wouldn't hear. 

"You've been amazing this past six months, mate. Amazing. I'm... I'm really, really glad you asked me to be your race engineer." 

"Me too," Felipe grinned, his face looking slightly shy and boyish. "You help me." 

Rob felt a tightening in his chest. 

"You don't need help, kid." He gave Felipe a wink as he gave his hand a brief squeeze. "Let's go to Brazil and kill them all." 

*** 

_**Friday, 2006 Brazilian GP** _

Rob would never ceased to be amazed with how Michael dealt with the throngs of photographers and journalists that constantly crowded him at races. This weekend, it was even worse, with each country's media dying to get a chance to speak to the multiple world champion on his last ever race. Rob stood at the entrance to the motorhome, shaking his head as he watched Michael attempt to make his way through the paddock, darting in and out of the various crowds assembling around him. Half of him felt genuinely sorry for the German driver, while the other half; the more rational half, knew that all the attention being on Michael meant that he and Felipe had the breathing space to just get their heads down and concentrate on the weekend ahead. From the paddock he could hear the shouts and chants of the Brazilian fans, and he couldn't help but shiver. How amazing, for Felipe to be here in Brazilian flag-coloured overalls, racing in his home city in a Ferrari. Rob clenched his fists and grit his teeth – oh, to win here. 

He entered the motorhome where Felipe was setting out his overalls and boots for that day's practice sessions. 

"Fantastic crowd here," Rob commented. 

"The best," Felipe nodded, then his brow furrowed. "Maybe, one day, they chant for me." 

"They'll chant for you tomorrow. I promise you that." 

Felipe turned to smile at him, then pulled Rob's head towards his. Rob let out a sigh as Felipe's tongue slid into his mouth, before suddenly laughing. Felipe pulled away, a petulant look on his face. 

"I am funny?" 

Rob shook his head. 

"No. I'm just happy." 

*** 

Felipe was held aloft by the team. He pointed to the sky, shouting and swearing in Portuguese. The Interlagos crowd went wild, and Rob tried to surrepticiously wipe away a tear when he stood below the podium, watching the glittery confetti reign down upon his driver and friend. 

"Big party tonight for you, huh?" one of the mechanics said, slapping Rob on the back. 

"Yes. Big." 

*** 

Rob could sense that this party was going to go on indefinitely. He wasn't one for taking centre stage or dancing, not like Felipe and Michael had been all night. His mind was on getting packed up to go back to Italy the following morning. Leaving Brazil... leaving Felipe. For a few weeks, anyway. _'But a few weeks has never seemed so long,'_ he thought ruefully. 

Felipe finally left the stage, wiggling his body to the sound of the samba music that was booming out of the speakers. Caipirinha in hand, he threw an arm around Rob, planting a slobbery kiss on his cheek. Rob suddenly felt the empty ache that had been inside him for the past few hours building to a crescendo. 

"I'm going to bed, Felipe. Good luck with the hangover in the morning." 

Felipe took a sip of his drink. 

"You're going to bed?" 

"Yes." 

They looked at each other, and Rob held his breath. As they stood there staring into one another's eyes, Rob couldn't even hear the music anymore, and he wasn't aware of anyone else in the room, the world, apart from he and Felipe. 

"Where's the rest of your family?" The voice that came out of his mouth was one that Rob didn't recognise. 

"Gone home. They know not to expect me because of Michael's party." 

"So we... I mean, you and I... " 

"Yes." 

"Do you have... ?" 

Felipe's face flushed as he tapped his back pocket. 

"Are you sure?" Rob whispered. 

"Sim, Rob. _Yes_." 

*** 

Felipe tasted like limes. Rob licked the sticky juice off the Brazilian's mouth, enjoying the tang of the fruit and the warmth of Felipe's tongue sliding against his. He pushed Felipe against the wall, hands gripping the driver's white shirt. Felipe's arms encircled his waist, and he felt hands pulling his t-shirt up. Rob broke away and allowed Felipe to pull it over his head, before he reciprocated, unbuttoning Felipe's shirt and throwing it onto the nearby chair. Rob gazed down at Felipe's dark skin – skin he'd seen before, but never under these kind of circumstances. It was like seeing it for the first time – the smooth, coffee-coloured chest, the brown, pert nipples; so different from his own paler, less muscled body. 

They sank back into the kiss, Rob enjoying every delicate flick of Felipe's tongue. He was half-hard already but he wouldn't rush this, no matter how desperate he was to take Felipe, throw him down onto the bed and, and... Rob felt his heart jump as he thought about being _inside_ Felipe, and he made an _'Mmm'_ noise as his cock twitched inside his jeans. 

"Did you say something?" Felipe panted, pausing the kiss. 

Rob traced his lips from Felipe's full mouth to his ear. 

"I said _'te amo'_." He felt himself blush, and was glad that the room was lit only by a patch of moonlight that was streaming through a gap in the curtains. 

"Te amo?" Felipe's eyes widened and Rob searched them desperately for a trace of fear, or upset, or anger. But there was none to be found. 

"Yes." 

"Te amo," Felipe whispered as he buried his head in Rob's chest. "Me as well." 

Rob held Felipe's head against his body, pressing his face into Felipe's hair and taking a deep breath. What was it about holding this man that felt like belonging; like home? 

"Fuck, I want you," Rob breathed. Felipe responded by tracing his warm hands down Rob's chest, his mouth then following their path, and his tongue caressing Rob's neck and nipples. He reached down, finding the zip of Rob's jeans and tugging it down before fiddling with the top button. 

I'll do it, silly," Rob gave a breathy laugh as he kicked them off. He grabbed the waistband of Felipe's jeans, pulling the shorter man towards him. He swallowed hard before unbuttoning them with shaky hands and yanking them down. He recoiled in surprise slightly, finding Felipe underwearless. 

"Well?" Felipe shrugged and gave a cheeky grin. 

Seeing Felipe's cock made Rob's erection become even fuller. Felipe looked downward, and suddenly Rob saw him drop to his knees. Rob gave an inward gasp as he watched and felt Felipe's perfect mouth take him in, that full, delicious bottom lip now running its way along the bottom of his shaft, helping the top lip and tongue cover his prick with saliva; enveloping its entire length in hot, willing wetness. He shut his eyes and edged himself into Felipe's mouth a little further. 

Rob could feel that wonderful ache beginning, and he knew if he didn't stop Felipe's tongue tracing delicious paths over his dick, this was all going to be over in a matter of seconds. He tugged at Felipe's hair. 

"Get up, Felipe. Get up." 

Felipe stood, his lips moist and almost-bruised looking. He looked like sex, and Rob wanted to come there and then. 

"Felipe... will you let me?" 

Felipe nodded, answering by way of planting his mouth on Rob's once more. He tasted and smelt warm and musky. Rob pushed him down onto the bed, biting down gently on Felipe's soft, tanned neck. Felipe gave a little moan, shifting position so that he was flat on his back, his thighs parted and his knees raised off the bed. Rob hesitated, knowing that if he kept going, it was going to happen, he would be doing that with a man. But it wasn't just a man, it was Felipe, and he looked beautiful, lying there with his dark eyes wide and trusting, his body offering itself to Rob as he arched upwards, almost pleading. 

Rob grabbed what they needed from the bedside table, kneeling on the bed and panting heavily as Felipe took it off him, and soon Rob felt a hand wrapped around his cock, the slick noise it made reminding him of the noise of Felipe's lips smacking against it minutes earlier. 

Felipe lay back again, his dick pointing up towards his stomach and his hand poised beside it. 

_"Rob... "_

Rob paused, his chest rising and falling quickly. He was desperate for relief, but he was suddenly terrified. For him, for Felipe, and for what lay beyond this night. 

"I don't want to hurt you," he said gravely. 

"You won't," came the soft reply. Then, more frantically. _"Please."_

Rob levelled his cock with Felipe's entrance, hesitating as the tip rested against Felipe's body. God, this was agonising and wonderful and painful and exquisite. He cursed out loud as he edged in, and, finding Felipe's body accommodating him, pushed further. As three-quarters of him found its way in, there came a groan from somewhere deep within him that he hadn't known existed. 

"Are you okay?" he whispered. Felipe nodded quickly, his mouth slightly open, and his eyes heavy with pleasure. 

"Okay." 

Rob grasped the base of his cock as he began to thrust gently in and out, or at least as gently as he could manage. Each time he sunk into Felipe, the Brazilian gave a soft moan. 

"Mmm, sim, _SIM_." 

Felipe was reaching out to touch his chest, his stomach, the tops of his thighs. He placed his hands at the small of Rob's back and helped to control the movements. Rob felt his head start to spin and his thrusts becoming less controlled as Felipe swung a leg over his shoulder, helping him to get even deeper. Their panting matched one another's now, and Rob turned his head slightly to suck at the base of Felipe's thigh. 

"Felipe," he groaned. "I'm going to come. Fuck... " 

Felipe grabbed his hand, linking their fingers, before placing them around his own dick. Together they pumped Felipe's cock, and as Rob felt the initial waves of orgasm pass over him, he was aware of a sudden wet heat in his palm. He cried out as his hips jolted and he felt himself climax; his cock and brain and heart and soul exploding with pleasure as he collapsed on top of Felipe, getting his breath back before kissing the man beneath him softly, lovingly. 

Rob placed a peck on the tip of Felipe's nose. 

"Are you sure you're alright? Are you sure I didn't... " 

Felipe bit at his earlobe playfully. 

"I'm alright. I trusted you. Always." 

Rob rolled over onto his side, facing Felipe as he rested his head on the pillow. Their legs were entangled along with the sheets, and as blue eyes locked with brown, Rob was aware of how his, like Felipe's, were shining. His voice came out in a shaky croak, and he reached out to touch Felipe's cheek lightly. 

"When did we start to feel like this?" 

Felipe shook his head as he ran a hand down the length of Rob's body, letting it rest atop the other man's hip. 

"Since forever? I do not know." 

*** 

They'd made love twice more. Wild and intense at first, clawing at one another, biting, sucking, grunting. Then lazily, languidly, with whispered words of love and soft laughter passing between their lips. Felipe succumbed to sleep first; exhausted after the race and everything that had followed. Rob sat up in the bed, looking down at his driver. He felt tears stinging the back of his eyes once more, this time allowing them to fall. He thought about home, Raffa, the team... but it somehow didn't seem to matter right now. He remembered his University years, and the unfamiliar girls he had found himself in bed with back then, few as they may have been. He'd always regretted it; always wanted to get them out of there as quickly as possible so he could go and spend time with his friends instead. He didn't feel that this time. Not here, at 4.30am, with a new day taking shape outside. He didn't feel guilty, he didn't feel strange, and he didn't want to go _anywhere_. 

*** 

__**May 2012** _ _

__It felt good to be back at Mugello for testing, Rob reflected as he put on his headphones and strode into the garage. He slapped Felipe playfully on the hip and smiled, his eyes as always briefly flicking to Felipe's scar. They'd been through tougher times than this, but they'd certainly been through easier ones too. Rob was exhausted and frustrated at having the constant ache of worry in the pit of his belly. He tried to stop dwelling on the problems of the past couple of seasons but it was difficult. Bad results and crashes came and went, but all through it, he and Felipe remained constant._ _

__He watched his driver pull on his balaclava and helmet, before he sat down inside the F2012 and had his seatbelts adjusted. Felipe caught Rob gazing at him, and gave a wink. Rob winked back, feeling a lump develop in his throat as Felipe motioned with his index finger that he was ready to leave the pits._ _

__Yesterday, they had clung onto one another, not even speaking. They didn't need to. Today, they would try to beat Fernando's time. Tomorrow?_ _

__Who knew._ _


End file.
